Richard Hawley

Truelove's Gutter

(Mute)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

Truelove’s Gutter sneaks up on you.  Richard Hawley’s sixth solo studio album plays out like a solemn, languid lullaby.  Upon initial listen, it may threaten to pleasantly fade into the background, especially as the track times stretch and stretch (Hawley is in no hurry on these pieces). Time – and the lack thereof – seems to be on Hawley’s mind here, whether lamenting the loss on opener “As The Dawn Breaks” or making a carpe diem appeal on “For Your Lover Give Some Time.”  Hawley certainly isn’t shy about making appeals on Truelove’s Gutter, and the timeless and sometimes tragic themes he explores are suggested just in the very names of the tracks:  “Open Up The Door,” “For Your Lover Give Some Time,” “Don’t You Cry,” “Don’t’ Get Hung Up In Your Soul” and “Soldier On.”

The glacially paced “As The Dawn Breaks” opens the album – not an album highlight, but an effective enough tone-setter.  “Open Up The Door” livens up the proceedings with its delicate orchestration and dramatic crescendo; it’s easy to imagine Hawley belting it out in front of some prestigious philharmonic.  There’s an even more dramatic finish to “Soldier On,” a rousing couple of minutes of strings and electric guitars and enlivened percussion, coming right on the heels of a frankly pretty sleepy four-minute stretch.   Hawley’s warm croon is a highlight throughout – it’s a patient, soothing instrument – but when he hits those heights, he shows himself to have a Morrissey-sized handle on panache. 

The centerpiece of the album is the graceful “Remorse Code,” which stretching out for nearly ten minutes, skipping away from convention even while unabashedly looking in the rearview for inspiration for kindred spirits.  The final stretch of the album is highlighted by a couple of stripped-down numbers, the melancholy “Don’t Get Hung Up In Your Soul” and the valentine “For Your Lover Give Some Time.”   Hawley doesn’t even have to be your lover; go ahead and give him some time anyway.  He’s earned it.